Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has hit back at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for accusing him of ‘maligning and threatening’ the Pakistan Army, asking if military officers are above the law.
A day earlier, PM Shehbaz had criticised the former premier and said: “Imran Niazi’s act of routinely maligning and threatening the Pakistan Army and Intelligence Agency for the sake of petty political gains is highly condemnable.”
Sharing a screenshot of incumbent prime minister’s tweet, the PTI chief said if he can “dare” to ask PM Shehbaz if he, a citizen “who suffered two assassination attempts on his life in [the] last few months”, had the right to nominate those he thought “responsible” for the assassination attacks.
to register an FIR? Does SS tweet mean mly officers are above the law or that they cannot commit a crime? If we allege one of them has committed a crime, how is institution being maligned?
3. Who was so powerful as to sabotage Wazirabad JIT while PTI govt was in power in Punjab?— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 8, 2023
“Why was I denied my legal and constitutional right to register an FIR?” Imran asked.
“Does SS [Shehbaz Sharif’s] tweet mean military officers are above the law or that they cannot commit a crime? If we allege one of them has committed a crime, how is the institution being maligned?” he questioned.
one powerful man & his accomplices all being above the law. Then it is time for us to officially declare that in Pakistan there is only law of the jungle where Might is Right.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 8, 2023
“Who was so powerful to sabotage the Wazirabad JIT (joint investigation team) while the PTI government was still in power in Punjab?”
The PTI leader also brought up the altercations that took place at the Islamabad Judicial Complex on March 18, where he had gone to court to testify in the Toshakhana matter. The federal capital has become a battlefield as police officers and PTI supporters clashed throughout the day-long incident.
Imran later claimed that assassins had been stationed outside the courthouse with the intention of killing him.
Reiterating the same in his tweets today, he said: “Can Shehbaz Sharif answer why the ISI took over ICT Judicial Complex evening before my appearance there on March 18? Why were ISI personnel in CTD and lawyers camouflaged? What was the motive and what business did ISI have in the Complex?”
He then said that when the PM did find the answers to these questions, they would all point to “one powerful man and his accomplices all being above the law”.
“It is time for us to officially declare that in Pakistan there is only the law of the jungle where might is right,” Imran added.